bystanders

plural of bystander
as in spectators
someone who sees or watches something bystanders rushed to help the victim of the mugging

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bystanders There was no way for the bystanders to retrieve the wounded man without exposing themselves to the sniper. — Ben Taub, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 Inside the store, bystanders and officers tried to help a wounded man until emergency responders arrived. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026 With the help of bystanders, the deputies got Von Herbulis up the nearby stairs from the water to the dock. — Natasha Holt, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026 Video clips from bystanders shortly after the shooting Thursday show Belgal on the pavement with his hands cuffed and ICE officers nearby. — Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026 Some takes worked and many did not, and once bystanders spotted the stars, word spread quickly. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026 Police said bystanders jumped in to detain the woman, who has been charged in her killing. — Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026 Three bystanders injured in a firefight in the Home Depot parking lot. — Patricia Murphy, AJC.com, 5 Oct. 2026 Additional video appeared to show bystanders rushing toward the scene to detain the suspect, who was outside the camera's view. — Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bystanders
Noun
  • Galena Annual Halloween Parade and Festival Galena, Illinois Thousands of spectators turn out every year for Galena’s parade and festival at the end of October.
    — Michelle Mastro, Midwest Living, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Still, her willingness to enjoy a hostile road crowd offers a useful perspective in a league where interactions with spectators have become such a consuming subject.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Industry observers who might have been optimistic in January now sound a lot more sour.
    — Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Netanyahu and his party, Likud, are not ahead in most mainstream polls, and yet most observers of any credibility agree that damn near anything could happen, especially given Israel’s complicated parliamentary arrangements and wild array of parties.
    — David Remnick, New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The reason for that is the unquenching market need for solid factual projects that can both be popular on linear channels and drive older viewers to streaming services.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Don’t viewers deserve to hear how Ted, our hero, explains a sensitive subject to his 16-year-old son?
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 7 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bystanders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bystanders. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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